My Positive Caesarean Birth...
After starting NCT classes and speaking to friends who had done hypnobirthing, I searched for a course to help me plan my labour, manage pain and learn relaxation techniques.. that’s when I found Jamie at The Birth and Baby Manual.
I was fearful of birth, but had previously done mindfulness during covid to ease anxiety which helped, so I thought Hypnobirthing would be useful. Myself and my partner did The Intensive Hypnobirthing Course with Jamie a month before my due date so it could be completed comfortably allowing us time to also practise the techniques. It was a great addition to the NCT course we were attending, Jamie created a relaxing environment and answered any questions we needed. We loved the box of goodies we received alongside the course which included a useful workbook too.
We found out we were due to have a planned cesarean at 39 weeks because our baby was breech at the 36 week scan. This had been a surprise as our midwife had confirmed baby was head down for a number of weeks before hand. We were struggling with the decision on whether to turn the baby using the ECV method or use other alternatives with the potential of a caesarean still being the outcome if the options didn’t work.
I reached out to Jamie who was great in post course support, she reminded us of the techniques we learnt such as BRAIN which helped us break down and make a decision on whether ECV was best for us. She supported us further by discussing tips on how to turn the baby naturally & printed a Hypnobirthing Cesarean Work Book which she dropped to our home to work through in case baby did not turn. It was really useful that the course could still help with resources and practical tips to try even for a C-section so my birth could be still a relaxing experience and very much decision based for us, it was important for us to still feel in control. There were lots of options we explored to make my C-section more positive like bringing music in, where to position pads on my body and deciding on how we would find out the gender when meeting our baby for the first time. This helped us also do a birth plan differently to have ready in our notes for hospital.
The Hypnobirthing audios helped me to relax in the evenings before the big day, myself and my husband practised relaxation together so we could both feel more ready for this huge life change and more calm to manage our new life with a baby and the challenges that brings. Because it wasn’t the birth we had planned, there was a fear, especially in my husband as he is scared of operations and hospitals anyway, but this course and support helped us both a lot. We had a planned C-section on the 10th October when we welcomed our beautiful baby girl Bethany into the world, it was the best thing for me and our baby and we had a positive experience.
I felt comfortable, less scared and much more prepared before and during the C-Section because of the course, My birth was a positive experience, both myself and my husband felt in control & relaxed, we would recommend Jamie and her support to others. I used the breathing techniques when I felt uncomfortable or panicked and we decided in our birth plan that the baby’s gender would be announced, I chose to have pads on my back so I could do skin to skin once baby arrived and I even used the BRAIN tool after birth in hospital to make a decision on when to ask for help when I was feeling un-well, anxious or nervous. I am still using the techniques and recourses now post birth to remain calm and relaxed.
I recommend Hypnobirthing for everyone for every type of birth!
Nicky x
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